Typographical distributing machine



` J. G. MCNAMARA TYPOGRAPHICAL DISTRIBUTING MACHINE May 24, 1927.

' Filed March 15, 192s I distributing machines,

` order pear Where matrices may be drawn-from several` Patented May 24,1927.

`PA'IENT OFFICE.

UNrrEDsTATEs lJAiviRs G. MNAMARA, or BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, assieNoR 'ro MERGRNTHALER LINO- frYrE COMPANY, A CORPORATION on NEW YORK. Y

l YcrYrOeRarnroixri nistrRiBUTINe MACHINE.l

Application filed March 15, 1926.- Serial No. 94,657.

`This invention relates .to typographical such as lintoype inachinesv of the general organization represented'in U. S. Letters Patent vto O. Mer genthaler, No. 436,532, ivherein circulating matrices are released i'roinv a magazine in the in which their characters are Vvto ap- `in print and thenassembled incline, the composed` line transferred to the face of a mold, the mold iilled With molten metalto form a slug or linotype against the matrices which produce the rtype'characters thereon, and: the .matrices thereafter returned through a distributing mechanism to the magazine froiiifwhioh they started. vIn some machines, suoli as the commercialv Model 9,

magazines and mixed together in the same line, the distributing mechanism includes a er primary distributorf which firstV sorts the matrices accordingl to font, and a plurality of main distributors which thereafter sort the inatricesof the individual `fonts accordchutes or tubes and enter socalled loWerdis-v ing to character and proper channels in the` magazines. ,Vith this type of d istributing` mechanism, the matrices, after font separation, pass down tributor boxes, wherein they are guided upon inclined rails into engagement with reciprocating pawls or escapeinent-s, which feed them one at a time to the main distributor. In `order that these paWls or escapements may cooperate properly with the matrices,

the latter are provided in their bottom edges with central notches, which necessarily vary `in shape and depth accordingr to the thick Besides suchv ness of the individual matrices.` adding toy the cost of production, notches vin the matrices materially limit the space Ordinarily required for the .regular tout notches and, moreover seriously weaken the matrices, especially lwhen the latter are formed with other necessary cuts Furthermore, matrices comprising on other machines, such fonts used handle matrices oi all`toiits whether escapement restore them to theirk tributor or notches.

as'those of the sinf gle distributor class, are excluded 'from use Y Von machines of the multiple distributor class G vand enter one Acomprises the usual longitudinally have or have not the objectionable Vcentral notches referred to. To this end, each oi' the Y loiver distributor boxes is provided With an iviththe upper ends of the matrices, and

Which device `not Onlyserves its primary purpose Oft feeding thematrices one'by one to the distributor screws butalso to accelerdevice arranged to cooperate ate theV delivery oit the individual matrices to the screws. In the embodiment illustrated, there'are employed two cooperating escapeinent vmembers movable together as Oneat oneistage andrelativelyto each other at another stage in controlling the l t passage of the `gravitating matrices one at a time to the screws, one of said members being inthe form of a pivotedfinger which permits final escape of the matrices, and the other being in theform of a reciprocating slide which aids in effecting their separation and which hastens their deliveryto the screws.

. In the accompanyingdrawings, the invention has been shown merely in preferred form and by Way of eXampleland as applied to the specic type of distributing mecha-4 nism indicated. y However, many changes and variations may be made therein and in its mode of application, `which will still be comprised Within its spirit. It is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not limited to any vspecific forni or 'embodiment except in so faras such limitationsare specitied in the claims.

Referring to the drawings: Fig. 1 is a rearelevation of a lower disboX partly broken .away and equipped with the present improvements; Fig. 2'is an end vieuT of the box removed; Fig. 3 is `a detailed horizontal section, taken On line 3-3 of Fig. i;

Figs. 4 and 5 are fragmentary side views, showing the escapement device in different positions during` the release of a matrix;

and Y Figo is a detail perspective vieiv of the escapement device proper.

The matrices X are released by the'primary distributor (not shown) into the tubes or another of the lower distributor boxes A, wherein they are guided and sustained by their projecting ears m upon upper and lower inclined rails A1 A2, which direct them to the receiving end of the associated main distributor. The latter ribbed bar B and the set of constantly driven niatiix conveying screws B1 which aiearranged to pick up the matrices as they escape iii-oni 4the box and advance tlieni'across the lioi'i- *the chuteA G are straightened up within the .box A at- Xlin thcusual way so as to properly engage the'upper and lower guide railsV A1 i 2. down which they slide by `gravity in upright position until arrested adjaeentthe receivingr ends ot the screws B by the `escapeinent device forming' the subject :matter of the present invention. This device is arranged t0 cooperate-with the upper'ends of the matrices and acts to control their pas- Sage one at a-time iiito'position to be' picked up' by the 'distributor screws, irrespective of t lie-presence or absence of the central notches' lieieiiibetore Vmentioned. In the einbodinient illustratedf the improved escapement device comprises a vertical reciprocating; slide andan oscillatory finger C1, the latter being pivotally mounted at its upper end tothe slide C and provided with a crank arm C2. which is connected to the operating means Alater to he described. At its lower end. the iinger C1 is4 formed witha lip C(1 .projecting beneath the slide C and arranged to intercept the inatiiccsas they pass down the inclined rails A1 A2. A spring C7 con- Aiiectcddo a pin C3 on the rear edge of the linger C,' and lof su'llicient strength to withstand lhelinipact ot lthe gravitating iiiatiices. controls the pivotal -uctioii'otfthe linger and vconstitutes the medium through which the escapeinent device propel' is moved downwardly by the crank. :irni C2. Vlie slide C is mounted in the front end ot the box A and is slotted at CatFig. 2)'

Vto receive a retaining screw C4 and a'stud C, which serve i'es'peetivelyto limit its strokes in opposite directions. the 'arrangement being such that on thedo'wn-sti'oke of the slide a matrix arrested by the lip VCoy the linger C will be engaged by the slide and pushed thereby alone' the ,f iuiderails "A1 A1 toward the piek-up position. This feature, while perhaps not absolutely essential, is particularly desirable since it insures the delivery ot' the matrices to the screwsquicker. and'at inorereg'ular intervals than heretofore. irrespective of thickness. itA being. uii- 'derstood that in boxes of the tvpe illustrated. '.,iv'here lgravity alone is depended upon,` the 'thinner' matrices. being'` lighter and more Y liable toslight interferences "than those loi the thicker variety, are frequent-lv delayed ythat the finger C1 has been rocked s =rear face ot the slide C at a distance slightly less than the thickness oll the thinnest niutrices so that only one matrix may be cn- 0awed b 1 the slide C at a time. This relan n h tion, in the present instance. is i'uai'ntaincd by aspacinp; stud C1, (shown best in Fig. arranged between the tivo escapeinent incinbers. In practice, however. it might he foiincl.(lesii'al ile to make this stud (,1" adinstable, insteadof a tixed part olE the linger ,C1 (as indicated) and thereby tacilitatethc `orignial settingr ot the device as well as coni- .pensate for the wear resulting l'roin continued use. Y

Since it is essential to the proper distril'lu- `tion Vot matrices that they be i'ed to the distributor at arate determined by the rate ol rotation ot the distributor screws. the capeinent deviceis operated in the customary way froin'a cani B2 secured to the end ol one :of the screw spindles B, the desired motion being imparted to the device through :i bell crank leverD pivoted 4at D to the box A. The longer horizontal arin D2 ol" 'his lever is loosely connected to the Vl`rec end' -oi the crank arm C. before mentioned. while the shorter arm D3 thereo't' (see Fia: ll is provided with an anti-friction roller D" arranged to engage the 'face ot the eriin l'-. against which it is constantly held bv a pull spring D' anchored to the distributor box A. According' to this arraiiiz'einent. as the cam B? is rotated. the bell cranl: lever l) will be rocked and the eseapenieut device operated Yin the required synclironisin with the distributor screws. the upstrolv'e being,r el'- "lected by the sprintT D land the down-.stroke Isince, i't` positive connections were eiuploytul.

afclogged matrix tir-other obstruction would probably cause breakage ot thc parts :url damage to the matrices.

Theoperation will now he clear: As the lever D is rocked by the cani B2 to more the escapeinent vdevice downwardly. an arrested inatrix- (Fig. l) will be eneaeed bv theslide C (Fig. 4) and pushed therebiv down the inclined rails A1 until .said slide is arrested by the stud At this point ot' the operation (see Fig. it will he noted forward against the ,tension of the .fpriiil'r CT and that the slide C oceiii ies a position .low enough to arrest any following` mat rice' ,that might have accumulated in the box. .In order to obviate wear on the upper tll'f: of the matrices. which inifrht result i'l they' were obliged to ydisplace the finger C duri y position to thelliiiger C1,

lin contact with operation takesplac'e in the manner 'just `dei f scribed, the movements ot the parts are very cycle ofl the slide v Il `from the position shown vin Fig.

- escape or pass on ing their depression (as they could do),` cam plate A4 is fastened to the box in beV engage-d by the pin C8 of the uppei end of" the arrested j' matrixY v (Fig., d). ln this way, the slight forward.displacementv of the linger C1 i l to the :full line yposition shown in Fig. 5 is by the cam plate A4 instead ot by the mat rices themselves. In vcompleting its sti-olie Yl'roiii the fullline to `the dotted line posi.- tion, Fig. 5, lthe lever arm l)2 through the crank armCgrocks the Finger C out of the way of the vdepressed matrix so that it may to the pick-up position olf On the return move- `the Vlinger `C1 is the distributor screws. ment ot' the leverar'm D2,

rocked back toits orignal position as deter-v inined bythe` v `engagement of the stud C10 with, the slide C, and the lip C `thereby locatedl in proper relation to the slide, which fis then restored to its upper posit-ion to'allow thenext matrix (which now becomes the leading one.) to slidebeiieath it into, conta-ct witlnthe arresting tace G9 oit the lipC.

. yIt `is pointed out that Vwhile the actual rapid, the escapement jdcvice being actuated at eachrotation of the, distributor screws so as to feed the matrices thereto one at each operation. The reciprocations ot 1 are so timed that 4the former acts as an accelerator to, each matrix as it is detached yor separated from vthe others and thiis in sures the proper delivery of Athe matrices to the screws.

, Having thus kdescribed iny invention, its construction an'dinode of operation, what l claim and desire to secure by Letters atent of the United States, is as follows: i

`1. In a typographical Vdistributing mechaf -nism comprising a distributor bar andk set of matrix conveying'screws, the combinationot1 guider-n ieansvalong which thematrices 'gravitate toward thel screws, and an escapemeiit device arranged to cooperate nisi'i'i comprising a distributor with the upper ends of the matrices and acting solely to control their passage one l at a time into' position to be picked up by the screws. l y i 2. In a typographical distributing mechabar anda set ot' `matrix conveying screws,

rices gravitate toward the screws,fand an escapement device arranged to cooperate with the upper` ends of the matrices and acting to control their passage one at a time into position to be picked up by the'screws, said escapement device comprising two cooperating members immediately the slide G comes Y `tion"of guide means along-which effected with the.. upper lof `matrix 'conveying vtionlotv guide nieansalong which the mat` C and the oscillations of the finger `ricels gravitatc toward the screws, and an the combina Ation of guide` means along which the mat`v `position to be picked Y movable together as one at one stage and movable relativelyr to each a other at another stage in effecting the release of the individual matrices.

In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributor bar and aVV set ot matrixconveying screws,

the mati'ices gravitate toward the screws, and an escapeiiient device comprising a vertical re*-` ciprocatiiig member "and a cooperating oscillatory member, the said iiiienibers being movable together as one at one stage and relatively toeach other at anotl'ier stage in effecting the release oi the matrices one at a time into position to be pickedup bythe screws.

4:. In a typographical distributing i'nechanism comprisinga- 'distiiibutorbar and a set ot matrix conveying screws, the combination of guide means a'longwhiclithe vinat rices gravitatetoward the screws,aiid an escapeinent device arranged to cooperate ends oit the iiiiatrices and comprising a vertical reciprocating member, and a cooperatingl oscillatory member piv'otedthereto, saidiijiembersbeing together as one at one stage and relatively .to each other at another stage in effecting movable the release ot the matrices one at a time into posi-tion to be lpicked'up by the screws.

5. In a typographical distributingY mecha# nism comprising a distributorbar and aiset screws, the combinalanismcomprising a distributor bar and a set 'of matrix conveying screws, the combination of guide means "along which the matrices gravitate toward the screws, and an escapement device controllingithepassage of the gravitating matrices one at a time into position'to--be picked upby the screws, the

vsaid device comprising a vertically reciproeating and oscillator7 member operative when in its upper position to arrest the descending matrices and its lower position to release them.

7. ln a typographical distributing mechanisi'ii comprising a distributor bar and a `set matrix conveying screws, the combiiiationf of guide means along which the matricesv'gravitate toward the screws,

y andan escapemeiit device controlling the passage of the gravitating matrices one at a time into an oscillatory finger pivoted thereto, the said linger in the upper position oit thek slide actthe combiiia-4 operative when in up by the screws, and i comprising a vertical reciprocating slide and ing to arrest thelleading matrix and in the lower position of the slide being swung clear of said matrix to permit it to escape, and the said slide when 'in its upper position stz'inding'clear of the descending matrices to permit the leading one to be arrested by the linger, but acting during its reciprocation to hold back the following matrices.

8.. In a typographical distributing mech-f Aslide in its upper position standing clear of the descending matrices but acting during its `reciprocation to depress the-leading matrix vand hold back'the following matrices, and the said' finger in the upper `position of the slide acting to arrestthe leading matrix 1n engagingrelation thereto and in the lower j position of the slide being swung clear ot the "tliesaid 4device comprising a vertical recip- 'depressed matrix to permit it to escape.

9. In a typographical distributing mechanisni comprising aV distributor bar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of guide means along which the matrices gravitate toward the screws, and an esca pement device controlling the passage of the gravitating matrices one at a time into position to be picked up by the screws, the said device comprising a vertical reciprocating slide and an oscillatory finger pivoted thereto, and common means for actuating the slide and finger.

l0. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributor bar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of guide -means along which the matrices g'avitate toward the screws, and an escapement device controlling the passage ot the gravitating matrices one at a time into position to be pickedup by the screws,

rocating slide and an oscillatory finger pivoted thereto. means `for imparting the reciprocating and oscillatory movements to the slide and finger, and a spring connected to-the linger and tending constantly to hold it in its matrix-retaining condition.

l 1 1l. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprisingfa distributor vbar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the `combination of guide means along which the matrices--giavitate toward the screws, `and an escapement device controlling the passage of the gravitating 'matrices one at a time into position tobe picked up by the screws, the said device comprising a vert-ical reciprocating slide and an oscillatory finger pivoted thereto, a spring connected tothe to impart the reciprocating and oscillatory movements to tlieslide and finger.

12. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributor bar and a set ot matrix conveying screws, the combination of,l guide means along which the matrices gravitate toward the screws, and

an escapement device controlling the passage of the gravitating matrices one at a. time into position to be picked up by the screws, thesaid device comprising a vertical reciprocating slide and an oscillatory linger pivoted thereto, a spring connected to the pivoted finger and tending constantly to hold itin its matrix-retaining condition, an arm also connected to said 4pivoted finger and adapted when operated to swingv it outward to its matrixfreleasing position. and an actuating lever connected to said finger arm and serving through the medium ot said arm to impart the reciprocating and oscillatory movements to the slide and finger,

together with acam arranged to engage the.,u

pivoted finger and swing it outward'slightly during the downstroke of the slide.

13. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributor bar and a set of matrix conveying screws, the combination of guide means along which the mairices gravitate toward the screws, and an escapement device controlling the passage ot the gravitating matrices one :it a time into position to be picked up by the screws. the said device cofinprising a vertical 'reciproeating slide and an oscillatory linger pivoted thereto, and actuating iiieans for the slide and tinger acting to move them downward together as a unit and then at the conipletioii olthe downward stroke to swing the linger outwardly away from the slide.

lil. In a,typographical distributing nicchanisni con'iprising a distributor bar and a set of matrix conveying screws. the combi-v nation oi guidemeans along which the mat- `rices gravitate toward the screws, and an escapement device controlling the passage ot the gravitating matrices one at a time into position to be picked upby the screws. the said device comprising-the vertical slide C formed with the slot C3, the stop pins C", C arranged within the slot C, the finger C1 pivoted to the slide C and provid-ed with the arm C2 and projecting pin C3. the spring C7 `connected to the pin CS, and the operating lever D having its arm I)g connected to the arm C2, all substantially as shown and described.

15. In a typographical distributing mech- Vset of matrix conveying screws,

arm CL and proJecting pin anism comprising a. distributor bar and a the combination of guide means along which the matrices gravitate toward the screws, and an escapement device controlling the passage ot the gravitating matrices one at a time into position to be picked up by the screws, the said device comprising the vertical slide C formed with the slot C, the stop pins G4, C5 arranged within the slot C3, the finger. C1 pivote-d to the slide C and provided with the C8, the spring C7 connected to the pin C87 the operating lever D having its arm D2 connected to the arm C2, and a cam plate A* arranged to engage the pin CS, all substantially as shown and described. -V

16. In a typographical distributing mechanism comprising a distributor bar and a set `of matrix conveying screws, the combination of inclined guide means along the matrices gravitate.toward the screws, and an escapement device arranged to co operate with the upper ends of the gravitating matrices and acting to control their escape one at a time into position to be picked up by the screws, said escapement device comprising a yieldable matrix arresting member and a matrix depressing ymember associated therewith, f said depressing member in its upper position standing clear which ot the descending matrices but acting during its downward stroke to depress the leading matrix and hold back the following matrices, and said arresting membern in the upper position of the depressing member serving to arrest the leading matrix in engaging relation thereto and in the lower position of the depressing member being moved outvot the way of the depressed matrix to permit its escape.

I7. In a typographical distributing` mechanism comprising a distributor bar and a set ot' matrix conveying screws, the combination of inclined guide means along which the matrices gravitate toward the. screws, and an escapement device arranged to cooperate with the upper ends or the gravitating matrices and acting to control their escape one at a time into position to be picked up by the a spring-actuated pivotally mounted arrestt ing member arranged in the path ol the de- JAMES Gr. MCNAMARA.

,screws7 said escapement device comprising 

